Rotor spinning device



3 1960 I A. R. NEWBERT EIAL 2,938,300

ROTOR SPINNING DEVICE Filed July 17, 1958 sr/ aww 7 ATTORNEYS.

Unite Sttes Patent '0 ROTOR SPINNING DEVICE Alfred R. Newbert, 4646 N. Narragansett, and John Benkert, 3915 N. Albany, both of Chicago, Ill.

Filed July 17, 1958, Ser- No. 749,083

2 Claims. I (Cl. 4683) This invention relates to a rotor spinning device and more specifically to a device which may be manipulated for launching toy rotors and which automatically rewinds or recocks itself for repeat operation.

Spinning devices for launching toy rotors are well known in the art, as evidenced for example by the Mettler Patent 696,990 which shows a frame equipped with a rotatable shaft about which is wound a string or cord. When the cord is pulled outwardly, the shaft is rotated and a toy rotor detachably carried at one end of the shaft is set in flight. The opposite end of the shaft is connected to a rubber band so that after the rotor has been launched, the cord may be released and will then be automatically rewound upon the shaft.

One of the principal problems in this field lies in providing an inexpensive spinning device which is nevertheless capable of withstanding frequent and hard use. For example, while the several parts of such a device might be readily molded from a suitable plastic to provide an inexpensive and attractive structure, the frictional engagement of the moving parts and the rapid rotation of those members in use may cause such substantial wear that the device will be rendered inoperative after only a few launchings. Thus, ordinary spinning devices which are formed from plastic materials and which are commercially available tend to wear quickly and, in some instances, jam or otherwise breakdown after only thirty or forty launchings.

Therefore, one of the main objects of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive spinning device formed largely of plastic which is capable of continued smooth operation 'for long periods of time, and which will ordinarily perform satisfactorily after hundreds of successive rotor launchings. Another object is to provide a self-rewinding rotor spinning device which is equipped with a spool-providing rotatable shaft, the shaft being capable of limited axial movement but being sustained in floating condition intermediate the limits of such movement to reduce rotational friction and wear.

Other objects will appear from the specification and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rotor and launching device in assembled condition;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the rotor spinning device;

Figure 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the spindle rewind mechanism of the launching device;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the rewind mechanism taken along line 44 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the letter A generally refers to a spinning device for launching a toy rotor B. As indicated in Fig. l, the rotor is provided with a hub 10, radially-extending blades or airfoils 11, and a circumscribing rim 12. The hub of the rotor is slotted for rotatably interlocking with the shaft of the spinning device B, as will be described shortly. Since the rotor itself forms no part of the present invention and since such rotors are well known ice in the art, further description of this structure is believed unnecessary herein.

The spinning device B comprises a hollow and elongated handle casing 15 which is longitudinally divided into a pair of complementary sections 14 and 15. These sections may be cemented or otherwise secured together after the shaft and the rewind mechanism hereinafter described have been mounted therein.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the handle 13 is provided with upper and lower chambers '16 and 17 divided by a transverse wall or partition 18. The top end wall 19 of the handle and the partition 18 are pro vided with central and axially aligned apertures 20 and 21 which rotatably receive the axially-extending spindle or shaft 22.

Shaft 22 projects upwardly through opening 20 and is provided with a flattened upper end portion 23 for insertion into the central slot of a toy rotor. Below partition 18, the shaft is provided with a lower hook portion 24 which connects with the rewind mechanism generally designated by the numeral 25. The intermediate portion of the shaft has a pair of axially-spaced integrally-formed flanges 26 and 27 which, together withthe cylindrical intermediate portion of the shaft, .define a spool upon which a cord 28 is wound.

It will be noted that flanges 26 and 27 of the spool are substantially closer. together than the walls 18' and 19 of casings upper chamber, thereby permitting limited axial movement of the spool within that chamber. One end of the cord 28 is securely attached to the shaft portion between the spaced flanges while the opposite end of the cord extends through opening 29 in the wall of the casing and, as shown in Fig. 1, may be provided witha draw knob 30.

Like the casing itself, the shaft is preferably formed of a plastic material such as polystyrene. It will be understood, of course, that other plastic materials having the desired qualities of strength, hardness anddurability may also be used.

The rewind mechanism 25, as illustrated most clearly in exploded condition in Figure 3, comprises a metal coil spring 31, a guide bar 32, and a guide sleeve 33. The guide bar 32 provides a smooth cylindrical outer surface and is straight except for aneye portion 34 at the lower end thereof. This eye receives a transverse pin 35 (Fig. 2) which prevents longitudinal as well as rotational movement of the guide bar. It will be observed, however, that the eye of the bar fits loosely upon the pin so that the bar is capable of transverse movement along the pin and pivotal movement thereabout.

Sleeve 33 consists of a section of cylindrical tubing having a bore of inner diameter substantially larger than the diameter of pin 32. As a result, the sleeve will loosely receive a portion of the pin in co-axial relation therewith and will be freely rotatable thereabout. Figs. 2 and 3, the upper end of the tubular sleeve is flattened and is apertured at 36 to receive the hook portion 24 of the shaft 22.

The helical spring 31 is hooked at its upper end within the aperture 36 of sleeve 33 and extends downwardly about that sleeve and the bar 32 telescopically received therein to the transverse pin 35 of the casing. Although generally the diameter of the spring is substantially greater than the diameter of either the shaft 32 or sleeve 33, it will be seen from Fig. 3 that the lower end of the spring is provided with coils of reduced diameter defining an axial opening 37 which is only slightly larger than the bar or shaft diameter. In addition, a group of coils at the springs lowermost end are turned laterally to provide a transversely extending opening 38 for receiving anchor pin 35.

Since the bore of sleeve 33 is substantially greater As shown in than the diameter of bar 32, the sleeve is freely rotatable upon the bar and any frictional resistance between the two is insignificant as far as the rotary action of the launching mechanism and rotor is concerned. However, it'is believed apparent that the guide bar and sleeve co operate during operation of the launching or spinning device to limit lateral flexure of the coil spring. As the spring 31 is wound it tends to flex away from its longitudinal axis and, when this flexure is sufiiciently great, the inner surface of the spring contacts the outer surface of the tubular sleeve. As the sleeve pivots laterally about its point of connection with hook portion 24 and the bar 32 also pivots laterally about anchor pin 35, the sleeve and bar are brought into contact at their respective ends. In other words, the upper end of the bar 32 engages the inner surface of the sleeve 33 while the lower end of the sleeve contacts the outer surface of the bar. The area of frictional contact between the two parts is slight and therefore the bar does not prevent rotation of the sleeve under the influence of recoil spring 31. However, by limiting lateral fiexure of the spring the sleeve and bar prevent damage to that spring and insure proper operation of the recoil mechanism.

Unlike rubber band rewinding means, spring 31 causes only slight axial displacement of shaft 22 as that spring is wound and unwound. Since flanges 26 and 27 are spaced substantially from walls 19 and 18 respectively,

and since the axial displacement of shaft 22 is slight, the flanges are not forceably urged by the spring into engagement with those walls. Hence, frictional forces resulting from axial displacement of a spool under the influence of a rewind mechanism are substantially eliminated by the structure of the present invention.

Preferably, the spring is formed so that its coils curve downwardly in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of shaft 22 when cord 28 is pulled outwardly. Thus, in the illustration given, the coils of the spring curve downwardly in a clockwise direction (when viewed from above) in opposition to the counterclockwise direction of rotation of the shaft and rotor during launching. As a result, the rewind spring will increase its number of coils as it is wound and this increase produces a limited upward force upon shaft 22 which is sufficient to resist any downward force resulting from the weight of the shaft, rotor, and rewind mechanism.

While in the foregoing we have disclosed an embodiment of the present invention in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of these details may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A launching device for toy rotors comprising a vertically elongated hollow casing having upper and lower compartments therein, a rotatable shaft extending vertically through said upper compartment and having a lower end extending into said lower compartment, said shaft having a pair of flanges defining a spool for sup porting coils of cord wound thereon, the axial distance between said flanges being substantially less than the vertical dimensions of said upper compartment, and a rewind mechanism comprising an elongated vertical sleeve disposed within said lower compartment and having its upper end pivotally connected to the lower end of said shaft, a vertically extending bar disposed within said lower compartment and having the lower end thereof pivotally connected tosaid casing, said bar having a diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of said sleeve and-having the upper end portion of the same rotatably received within the lower portion of said sleeve, whereby, the upper end portion of said bar and the lower end portion of said sleeve are capable of limited lateral displacement within said lower compartment, and a wire coil spring extending between and secured to the lower.

end of said shaft and said casing within said lower compartment and extending about said sleeve and bar, said coil spring having an internal diameter substantially greater than the external diameter of said sleeve.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said casing is provided at the lower end of said lower compartment with a transverse anchor pin, said bar havingan eye formed at the lower end thereof and pivotally receiving said anchor pin, and said spring having the lower end thereof fixed to said transverse anchor pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

